When 1+1=<2

Last week there was not one, but TWO market shows in Manhattan. The New York Incentive, Rewards, Recognition, Bar Mitzvah, and Smoker was at the New York Hilton, and ASI held a confab at the Javits center. Two shows, with two very different goals, but a common challenge.

We're all trying to figure out how to access what everyone agrees is the largest market in the country while not being able to see that many "buyers" face-to-face. Allegedly there are more "buyers" on the island of Manhattan than anywhere else on Earth. But most of them decided coming across (up/down/etc.) town wasn't in their interest. And with 150 Brands trying to sell the business, only 70 or so determined that coming to the show was in THEIR interest. But some believe that the show was a modest success, an improvement (or at least not a step back) as compared to last year.

Meanwhile, across town, ASI held what was described to me as a "smallish, but enthusiastic" show. The expectations were modest (2000 attendees, which they attained) and there was a limited number of exhibitors. For a first effort (which supposedly will change dates next year to March) I guess it was a modest success.

Lessee--largest market on Earth, and "modest success" is what we settle for. Nice.

Perhaps "modest" is as much as we can hope for. Travel to Manhattan is expensive, and challenging. Working with the unions in NY is like being an extra on an episode of The Sopranos. And apparently we still haven't found the compelling reason to get all those "buyers" out of their offices. Instead, they vote with their feet and stay away, in droves.

As an exhibitor at the NYIRR, BM&S I cannot settle for "modest success". I paid way too much for that. I heard there were buyers there, but they managed to miss us--probably because of the "Customer Deflection Device" (a 3 foot by 3 foot post that was 18 inches outside our booth), but also because the "crowd" was large only by the Theory of Relativity--take a hotel ballroom (and not even the big ballroom), put 300 people in it and it looks crowded.

Perhaps it's time for us to give up on the Great White Whale that is the End-User. While there were people in the room, many of them were resellers. It's much "sexier" to drop names from the Fortune 100 but in the end most of us in the Branded world simply don't sell those companies directly. More than 90% of my business is with resellers--that's not uncommon with consumer durable goods companies. I'm tired of "investing" in Snipe Hunts to put us in front of End-Users--I want to invest in Snipe Hunts to be put in front of resellers.

My prediction is that if I "invest" money @ Promotions East, or at ASI's soiree I would make a much larger impact than by trying to find Albino Rhinos. I need to "fish where the fish are" and it appears that no trade show can bring us End-Users (as if we would want them anyway).

Stick a fork in me on this stuff--I'm done...


Pete